Innocence
by ANBU-Captain.J.C.U
Summary: Sasuke's unspoken motives.


**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR IT'S CHARACTERS.**

Sasuke Uchiha: younger brother of the infamous Itachi Uchiha, the top rookie of his graduating year and once a loyal Konoha Nin but now a missing Nin.

The missing Nin stands underneath a cherry blossom tree and watches as the petals dance. He watches as they swirl and silently get whisked away by the night's breeze.

Cherry blossom petals?

Ah, yes that strikes a sense of nostalgia; it brings back memories and unwanted feelings he has buried for so long. Now, who was the memory? Oh, of course one of his ex-teammates and fan girls Haruno Sakura.

As his onyx eyes follow the petal's dance, he remembers back to a time when he still held his innocence, when his life was simple and his only goal was acknowledgement. And back to when he met the young Haruno….

He remembers her watching him from a distance, behind a tree as he practiced his Fireball Jutsu. And for what reason? To make a soon to be dead man proud.

The corners of his lips twitch upwards at the memory. A small bitter smile makes its way to his face as he remembers his life back in Konoha, the girls, his friends and family.

Yes, one thing he shall never forget is the girls. Not that he ever paid any attention to them after all, his only goal in life was to get stronger and be the best of the best. A bitter chuckle slips through his lips as he remembers running around the village whilst trying to avoid the ever so evil fan girls. None of them ever caught his attention except the pinkette. It was almost inevitable, like seriously how can you not notice bright pink, cotton candy coloured hair and the dark yet bright emerald irises. A small smile makes its way to his face as he remembers how she used to be and how different she was. The other girls would try to get his attention in the most annoying of ways but she watched from afar and that's what made her stand out from the crowd. Her bright green eyes sparkling with pure curiosity and innocence, the way they would glaze over with awe when he did something basic. Yes, he liked that feeling, he liked making a person look up to him, he liked have the attention of another and he liked knowing that someone did care for him. He's watched her from the corner of his eye a few time, not that she ever noticed and he couldn't help but smile at how pure and unbroken she was. From that day, he added a new goal onto his list…. He would protect her and make sure her innocence is unbroken.

As minutes turned to hours, hours turned to days, days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months and months turned to years. He grew bitter and cold while she grew bold and annoying, becoming a mirror image of everything he hates. She turned into one of the fan girls. The goal of protecting and preserving her innocence soon vanished, forgotten and turned into nothing but a silly memory. His goal of becoming the best of the best also forgotten, and morphed into something dark and full of hate.

The day he gained his headband, he smiled for the first time in years. Finally he's closer to his goal. He also saw the pinkette holding one and same with the other girls in his class. He frowned at this. They are weak and should not even have the honour of holding one. But the bitter emotions soon disappeared as he watched the pinkette run to her parents, her emerald eyes sparkling with joy and excitement. So pure, innocent and simple. Another smile tugs at his lips; yes, she is still the same girl from before. Still the same ray of innocence. His lips tug downwards a little as an acid like feeling burns in his chest, he would never ever admit it out loud but he was jealous that she still held her innocence while he lost his. But he couldn't find it in himself to hate her.

He knew since the day he saw her that he's always had a soft spot for her and held some secret attraction to her. Realising he dropped his mask, he scowls to cover up the only indication of humanity he tried to hide. His scowl deepened as he hears screeching from the pinkette and arch rival who is also an annoying fan girl, her left hand also holding a headband. He growls and his fist clench, his anger is soon forgotten when he notices something deep within the sapphire eyes. Hidden deeply and almost undetectable; hurt and regret.

He raises a brow in confusion but squints to see if he imagined it. As he continues to peer into the cerulean irises he sees something else hidden. The forbidden emotion; love.

A million thoughts ran through his head…. Love, Yamanaka Ino, most annoying girl he knew loves Haruno Sakura, the runner up to most annoying girl he knows. He grew even more confused to why she would act in such a way if she didn't feel any attraction towards him. After a few seconds, his genius mind places all the puzzles together.

Pain equals strength. Hate and competition equals' growth. He couldn't help but feel a little respect for the Yamanaka as he turns away. He mentally shakes his head and stalks to the training ground.

Mission after mission, she is nothing but dead weight. At first he was kind of happy and relieved that the pinkette was on his team. But after a while he noticed that he couldn't protect her, the protecting only made her weak. Babying and protecting only made the problem worst. She was nothing but a burden.

So he distances himself and says hurtful things, true but hurtful. He knows he is hurting her and a bitter taste of guilt tickles his throat everyday but he knows it's for the best. He also knows that if he were to give in to his inner desire to love and protect her, the bitter feeling of guilt will increase. He knows he doesn't deserve her, for he is too broken and bitter. Too full of hate. She deserves one that knows and understands how to love.

His lips twitch into a smirk when he remembers the dobe yelling in his ear about how awesome Sakura fought in the preliminary rounds and how she tied with the annoying Yamanaka.

Yes, he made her stronger but was still able to preserve her innocence.

It wasn't until the mission to the land of tea, did he see how much he was falling behind and how much Naruto was rising to new heights. The dobe had surpassed him? In a matter of months? Unforgivable.

So he packs his things and prepares to hightail it out of the village and away from his new family.

At the gate, she begs and she cries but he stays blank and cold. Yes, he knew what he had to do. He had to break that innocence that he swore to keep. He knows it's the only way for her to grow and bloom into the flower she should be.

So he knocks her out and leaves her on a cold bench with nothing but a blessing in disguise.

All his work paid off. Years later when they finally meet, he saw the evolution of the broken girl he left behind. He saw the power and strength but it wasn't enough, she was still lagging.

So he breaks her even more.

Months after that incident he runs in the shadows, trailing after the pinkette. He knows that she knows he is following her but she pays no acknowledgement except a glance from the corner of her eye. His lips twitch upwards slightly as he keeps running. They get near to the gates of Konoha when he notices a figure running towards the pinkette.

He watches as the two women embrace, he watches as they pull apart and share a warm passionate kiss. He continues to watch as they pull apart and the busty blonde blushes like a school girl, with a smile the pinkette takes her hand and they walk back towards the village, hand in hand. He smirks and turns in the other direction and prepares to disappear but he freezes when three words he never thought he would ever hear reach his ears. It was nothing but a ghost of a whisper.

"Thank you Sasuke."

He finally lets his lips twitch into a smile as he looks over his shoulder and his eyes meet the ever so mesmerising emerald irises. He sees the power, strength, pain and love in them.

Yes, she's finally bloomed.

They share a bitter smile, knowing the next time they meet maybe their last.

And so he watches as the final petals get blown away. A bitter smile makes it to his face as a lone tear slides down his cheek. Yes, someday they will meet again and soon he will have to face the flower he helped nurture. He turns and disappears to find his current team.


End file.
